A group of would be illegal Sri Lankan asylum seekers were arrested by the police in Batticaloa while planning to escape by boat to Australia, Police Spokesman SP Preshanth Jayakody said.

The 25 member group made up of 20 Tamil and 5 Sinhalese from the areas of Udappu in Chilaw, had been arrested in a joint effort by the Army and the Police.

One GPS, dry rations for the duration of one month and several maps were also recovered in the raid on a safe house in Nawaladi. (SD)